Helmet supporting structure



May 18, 1965 J. K. GR OOT 3,183,522

HELMET SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

35 %1 if. BY

y 18, 1965 J. K. GROOT 3,183,522

HELMET SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,183,522 HELMET SUPPORTING STRUCTURE John K. Groot, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Wilson Athletic Goods Mfg. Co., Inc., River Grove, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 218,020 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-6) This invention relates to a helmet supporting structure, and more particularly to such a structure adapted to the utilization of interchangeable parts making a single helmet fit various head sizes, thereby to reduce the amount of relatively expensive equipment necessary for outfitting a group, such as a squad of football players.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a structure for supporting a protective helmet from the head of a wearer, which structure embodies readily replaceable and interchangeable headbands of different thicknesses which effectively change the head size which the helmet will comfortably fit.

As another object, this invention has within its purview the provision of a supporting structure for protective helmets including a headband support having segments of relatively small section spaced from the interior of the helmet, so as to be readily accessible for the releasable securement to the inner surface thereof of an inner headband of selected thickness and having thereon releasable retaining tabs which embrace said segments of the headband support and have releasable fasteners thereon for holding the tabs in their support embracing positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure for head engaging bands for use in protective helmets which may be made in various predetermined sizes and thicknesses, and which includes means thereon for releasably holding the head engaging band in place on a headband support.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a structure which illustrates a preferred embodiment of this invention and wherein a portion of the structure is shown in section, with the section taken substantially as indicated by a line 11 and accompanying arrows in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1 and wherein a portion of the structure is shown in section, with the section taken substantially as indicated by a line 2-2 and accompanying arrows in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a part of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention which is shown in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes, the structure depicted shows the invention in an adaptation to a protective helmet of the type used by football players. In the illustrated structure, a protective helmet has an outer protective shell 12 made of a relatively hard and durable shock-resistant material, such as a molded fiber or plastic. This shell includes a crown portion .13 and depending side portions 14, and is made large enough to be supported in spaced relationship, to the head of a wearer by means including an internal supporting and head engaging structure 15 and internal pads, such as 16 and 17, which are secured to the interior surfaces of the shell. The supporting and head engaging structure 15 is mounted in the crown portion of the helmet below the top thereof and fits onto a wearers head to constitute a principal supporting element for the helmet. The pads 16 and 17 are contoured and disposed "ice to engage the sides of a wearers head below and adjacent the ears.

In addition to being ruggedly and comfortably supported relative to a wearers head, a helmet of the type illustrated should fit well and snugly, particularly at the region of a head encompassing band 18, so as to withstand blows and shocks against the side and back portions of the helmet shell, in addition to preventing engagement of the helmet shell with the top of a wearers head. In order to minimize the cost of equipment necessary for a school or organization to outfit a group of players having various head sizes, it is the purpose of this invention to provide helmets in various basic sizes which are adaptable to fitting a plurality of different and particular head sizes by affording the ability to substitute releasably mounted head engaging bands 19 in the helmet supporting and head engaging structure, which head engaging bands are provided in predetermined selected thicknesses to make the helmet supporting and head engaging structure of the basic helmet sizes fit snugly around the heads of wearers having different specific head sizes.

In the disclosed structure, the helmet supporting and head engaging structure 15 embodies a spider 20 which includes a central portion 22 from which integral arms 23 extend outwardly in generally radial directions. The spider 20, as illustrated herein, embodies an outer web 24 which may be made of fabric or the-like, and, in this instance, has padding material 25, such as foam rubber, bonded to the inner surface thereof. At their outer ends, the arms 23 of the disclosed structure are secured to the inner surface of the shell at substantially equal distances from the top thereof by fastening means, such as rivets 2.5, although it may be understood that the spider arms could be otherwise anchored, as to another part of the supporting and head engaging structure. The lengths of the arms 23 are such that the top of the supporting and head engaging structure 15 is spaced well below the top of the crown portion of the shell 12.

For providing lateral support relative to a wearers head, a web 27 of a relatively rugged material, such as a Woven fabric, extends peripherally and chordally of the internal surface of the helmet to form a complete band and is secured in place within the helmet by fastening means, which, as shown herein, are the same rivets 26 which serve to secure the ends of the arms 23 of the spider 29. Between the positions of securement of the web 27 to the interior of the helmet shell at the positions of the rivets 26, the chordal portions of that web, particularly at the mid-regions thereof, are spaced from the interior surface of the helmet shell. The head encompassing band 18 is made in a generally oval shape, in the form of a closed loop, from a relatively rugged flexible material, and is secured to the inner surface of the web 27, as by being stitched thereto, at the mid-region of each of the chordal portions of the web 27. The size of the helmet shell 12 and the size of the head encompassing band 18 determine the basic or maximum head size for which the helmet is adapted to use.

For fitting the helmet to a variety of specific head sizes smaller than that to which the basic helmet size is adapted, head engaging bands 19 of different preselected thicknesses are releasably mounted within the head encompassing band 18. In the disclosed structure, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the head engaging band 19 is made of a strip 28 of relatively soft and flexible material having the ends thereof abutted together and stitched to form a closed loop of a selected size. Desirably, the band is formed with a relatively smooth surface facing inwardly. The strip 28 is cut to provide a plurality of pairs of tabs 29 and 30 extending laterally therefrom in opposed relationship and at positions spaced peripherally of the band to correspond in spacing to the posi- 3 tions of the mid-regions of the chordal portions of the web 27 of the helmet supporting and head engaging structure.

In the disclosed structure, a second strip 32 of a relatively soft and flexible material of. a predetermined and selected thickness is bonded to the outer surface of the strip 28, and has its ends abutted soas to provide, a filler strip. The filler strip 32 is of width approximately equal to. the space between the inner or adjacent ends of the tabs 29. and 30 of the spaced pairs. Intermediate the spaced pairs of tabs 29 and 30, the strip 28 has integral marginal portions 33 and 34' thereon, which marginal portions extend between adjacent pairs of tabs and are folded over the filler strip 32 and'bonded to the surface thereof in order to avoid rough edges on the head engaging band. The. tabs 29 and 30 of eachpair have secured thereto engageable and releasable fastening elements 35 and 36, such as conventional snap fasteners, for holding the tabs of eachpair in embracing relationship with respect to the head encompassing band 18, or, as illustrated herein, in embracing relationship to both the head encompassing band and the mid-regions of the chordal portions-of the web 27, thereby releasably to secure the head engaging band 19 in place within the helmet. The lengths of the tabs and the positions of the fastening elements 35 and 36 are selected to afford snug and firm retention of the position of the head engaging, band. It may be readily understood that the thickness, of the head engaging band is a determinative factor in the selection of ahead engaging band which will proshell, the tabs of said pairs being in opposed relationship duce a snug fitbetween the helmet supporting and head.

engaging structure and the head of a wearer, and that by changing thethickness of the head engaging band which is I utilized, helmets of the same basic size may be adapted to use by wearers having different head; sizes.

From the foregoing description, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, it may be. readilyv understood that there. is disclosed herein a structural combination for supporting a protective helmet relative to the head of a wearer which provides the ability to afford proper fitting of helmets of selected basic sizes to wearers having various and morev specifichead sizes, whereby the amount of' equipment necessary. to outfit a group of players or users of different sizes is materially reduced.

tective helmets having an outer helmet shell, the combination of. internal supporting means adapted for secure-.

, Having thus described myinvention, what is claimed is:- 1-. In a supporting structure adapted for usein pro* to one another laterally of the strip and having releasable and, engageable fastening elementsthereon and being of lengths such thatthey embrace, said inner supporting band at positions in which it is spaced from the shell to hold said strip against the surface 'of the inner supporting band which faces inwardly of the loop to provide for a snug fit with a wearers head, an inner filler strip of fiexible material of predetermined thickness and substantially coextensive with the outer; surface of said loop, said filler strip being bonded tothe outer surface of said size determining band and having a widthapproximately equal to the distance between adjacent ends'of said pairs of tabs, and said size determining band having marginal extensions thereon between the spaced tabs which are folded over and bonded-to said inner fillerstrip.

2. In a supporting structure adapted for use in protective helmets, a readily changeable band adapted to fit snugly upon the head of a wearer having a predetermined head size, and comprising, in combination a strip of flexible material having opposite ends secured together to form a.closed loop having inner and outer surfaces, a

plurality of pairs of tabs integral with said strip and spaced apart peripherally of the loop, the tabs of said pairs being in opposed relationship to one another laterally of the strip and extending therefrom, and the tabs of said pairs also having enga'geable and releasable fastening elements thereon for releasably connecting the tabs of the pairs together adjacent the outer surface of the loop, said strip having integral marginal portions on op- 'posite sides thereof and extending between said tabs,

which marginal portions are narrower than the distance between, the ends of each of thetabs ofsaid pairs, and said marginal portions being folded over the outer surface of said loop and bonded thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. DAVID J. WILLIAMQWSKY, Examiner, 

1. IN A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE ADAPTED FOR USE IN PROTECTIVE HELMETS HAVING AN OUTER HELMET SHELL, THE COMBINATION OF INTERNAL SUPPORTING MEANS ADAPTED FOR SECUREMENT TO THE INTERIOR OF THE SHELL AND INCLUDING AN INNER SUPPORTING BAND HAVING PORTIONS SPACED FROM THE SHELL AND ADAPTED TO ENCOMPASS THE HEAD OF A WEARER, A READILY CHANGEABLE INNER SIZE DETERMINING BAND OF PREDETERMINED THICKNESS AND WHICH COMPRISES A STRIP OF RELATIVELY SOFT AND FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF SECURED TOGETHER TO FORM A CLOSED LOOP OF PRESELECTED WIDTH ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AND FIT SNUGLY ON A WEARER HAVING A PREDETERMINED HEAD SIZE, A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF TABS INTEGRAL WITH SAID STRIP AND SPACED APART PERIPHERALLY OF THE LOOP AT DISTANCES CONFORMING TO THE POSITIONS AT WHICH SAID HEAD ENCOMPASSING BAND IS SPACED FROM THE SHELL, THE TABS OF SAID PAIRS BEING IN OPPOSED RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER LATERALLY OF THE STRIP AND HAVING RELEASABLE AND ENGAGEABLE FASTENING ELEMENTS THEREON AND BEING OF LENGTHS SUCH THAT THEY EMBRACE SAID INNER SUPPORTING BAND AT POSITIONS IN WHICH IT IS SPACED FROM THE SHELL TO HOLD SAID STRIP AGAINST THE SURFACE OF THE INNER SUPPORTING BAND WHICH FACES INWARDLY OF THE LOOP TO PROVIDE FOR A SNUG FIT WITH A WEARER''S HEAD, AN INNER FILLER STRIP OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL OF PREDETERMINED THICKNESS AND SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID LOOP, SAID FILLER STRIP BEING BONDED TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SIZE DETERMINING BAND AND HAVING A WIDTH APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID PAIRS OF TABS, AND SAID SIZE DETERMINING BAND HAVING MARGINAL EXTENSIONS THEREON BETWEEN THE SPACED TABS WHICH ARE FOLDED OVER AND BONDED TO SAID INNER FILLER STRIP. 